Indian protesters stand neck-deep in water for 15 days

(Scroll down for video) 90 farmers from Indian villages are refusing to come out of the water. They are standing neck-deep in the water for 15 days, in protest of the government's move to submerge their farm land in water by increasing the water-level in dams in the region.

Some of the protesters in the water are elderly people. The farmers claim that over 1,000 acres of land and farms have already been submerged and more farms are on the verge of being submerged.

"The government better shoot us rather than giving us this watery grave, the government does not want to see our woes,” one protester said.

The government claims that it has no choice but to fill the dams. It was a joint decision by the government and the Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation to raise the water level at the Omkareshwar Dam from 189 meters to 193 meter and the Indira Sagar Dam from 260 meters to 262 meters.

The protesters are demanding compensation for destroying their homes and their livelihoods, so they can move to a different location and start their lives all over again.

The Supreme Court has ordered for the state to reimburse these poor people 6 months before submerging the land, but the government has ignored the court order leaving many people without livelihoods.

After the local media brought attention to the plight of the poor farmers, the government appointed a two member committee to look into the issue, but so far, nothing has been done to help these poor villagers.